1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to thermochromic components, especially to a thermochromic component based on carbon nanotubes and a thermochromic display apparatus using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Thermochromic materials are materials that can change their color in response to changes in temperature. Thermochromic materials can be used to make a thermochromic display apparatus.
A typical example is shown and discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,202,667, entitled “DISPLAY APPARATUS USING THERMOCHROMIC MATERIAL”, issued to Robert Parker, et al. on Apr. 13, 1993. This patent discloses a thermochromic display apparatus 20. Referring to FIG. 11, the thermochromic display apparatus 20 includes a supporting substrate 21, a heater 40, a non-thermochromic image layer 22, and thermochromic image layers 24, 26, 28. The non-thermochromic image layer 22 and the thermochromic image layers 24, 26, 28 are stacked on the supporting substrate 21 in order. The heater 40 is disposed on the supporting substrate 21 opposite to the non-thermochromic image layer 22 and the thermochromic image layers 24, 26, 28. The heater 40 includes a thin conductive film 50 of stainless steel which has been vapor deposited on the supporting substrate 21 and a pair of opposed, cooper buss bars 52 and 54 which have been vapor deposited onto the film 50 on the supporting substrate 21. The heater 40 is a vapor deposited conductive film made of stainless steel. Due to the constant resistance of the heater 40, the heater 40 is a good heat source.
However, because the stainless steel is directly deposited on the supporting substrate 21 to form the heater 40, the supporting substrate 21 will absorb a portion of heat generated by the heater 40, thereby decreasing efficiency of the electricity-heat conversion of the thermochromic display apparatus 20. Therefore, the thermochromic display apparatus 20 has poor display response and wastes power.
What is needed, therefore, is a thermochromic component and a thermochromic display apparatus having the same, which can overcome the above-described shortcomings.